West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-25
PIONEERS IN THE west.
EXTRACTS And ESTIMATES FROM A AkN
LIFE OP BENTON.
A Group of Reprints, Two Philadelphia
Books and Some Notices Of the
February Magazines.
Philadelphia Record.

Morse, Jr., and published by 3lessrS.
HOughton, MifIin q Co. Boston, has
just been added the Life of Thomas
Hart Bentoa," by Theodore Roose-
welt. There is probably no more
picturesque figure in the history of
American politics than this Union
loving, brilliant, scholarly and uu-
compromisin Democrat, who sat in
the Senate the nation for thirty
years, and VINO, more than any other
Of the Intellectual giants who lived
in his day and with whom he was
surrounded, aided the western ex-
pansiou Of our country, and helped
to shape its present national great
ness, And fit be considered strange
that a young Republican should un-
degtake the task of estimating the
life and character of man with
opinions and principles so diametri-
cally opposed to his own, and re-
hearsing the history of parties to
which he is 50 strongly opposed, it
may also be looked upon as crafty
ing t. find the younger men Of to-
day studying the conflict of the past
and dealing with events which have
left such an impress on our present
form of government. 1t might, of
course, be easy to show how the hi
ographer, by reason Of preconceiyed
notions, has failed sometimes to
grasp the peculiar significance
which attached itself to some of the
periods with which be deals; but
one cannot help admiring the cour-
agcOus spirit in which he writes,
the atmosphere Of color with which
hehas surrounded so many historical
scenes, and the broad and generous
spirit which be has brought to bear
on his discussion of subjects which
might have led unconsciously to 4
display of partisanship. His open
inc chapter, which deals with the
young West, is deserving of careful
attention for the mauGer in which
he deals with subject that does not
seem always to have been properly
understood
The early Western pioneers were
for the most part of Southern stock,
altho' many of them were of North
ern origin. Pennsylvania held with
in its boundaries many members Of
that most fiery aud restless race, the
Scotch Irish. These naturally drew
toward the wilder western parts of
the State, and thence they driftcd
southwark through the long valleys
until they met and mingled with
their kinsIolk of Virginia and the
Carolinas, when the movement again
tended toward the West In gen
Grafton or two all-whether their
forefathers were English, Scotch,
Irish, or as was often the case, Ger
man or Hugucnot-were welded into
one people, and in very short time
the stern and hard surroundings of
their life haj hammered this people
into a peculiar and characteristical-
" American type, which to this day
remains almost unchanged" "
HOME. SEEKERS IN TAE WEST.
The method OF settlement of these
States of Che Mississippi Valley had
no resemblance to the way in which
California and the Australian colo
nies were suddenly filled up by the
promiScuous overflow of a civilized
population. 1t was more like the
tribe movements Of the Germanic
peoples in times past; the men who
settled west of the Alleghanies were
in search of homes, not of riches.
The war of 1872 brought out con-
spicuously the solidity of interest in
the West. As Mr.. Roosevelt says:
"This solidarity of interest and feel
ing on the part of the transappala-
chan communities is factor often
not taken into account in relating
the political history of the early
part of this century, most modern
writer's (who keep forgetting that
the question of slavery was then not
one tenth as absorbing as it after
ward became) apparently deeming
that The line of demarkation between
the North and South was at that
period. as it has since in reality be-
come, as strongly defined west of
the mountains as east of them.
That such was not the case was due to
several different causes. The first
comers into Tennessee and Kentucky
belonged to the class of so-called
poor whites, who owned few or no
slaves, and who were far less section
ally Southern in their feelings than
were the rich planters of the low, al
luyial plains toward the coast Of the
Atlantic; and, though a slave-own-
| ing population quickly followed the
/ first pioneers, yet the latter had i'm
printed stamp on the character Of
/ the two States which was never
wholly effaced.
WESTERN" AND SOUTHERN"